November 20, 2022 Sunday
As I got up today I had no topic in my head as to what to write. It was like I was staring at a blank piece of paper and no ideas for once. Then wham! What are you grateful for, or are you grateful popped up. So I guess I am going with that one today.
What exactly is a grateful person? I feel so grateful that God loves me after all the things I have done in my life. He has always given me way more than I feel I deserve, and loved me through whatever I did and get me back on track. So on this topic…first what is a grateful person anyway.
I would say, for me, it is a person that will acknowledge God as their source and He is the one that ultimately has my soul in His hands. How could I not be thankful and grateful for that?
Well, we are now in Thanksgiving week. So what am I thankful for, and what are you thankful for? I know I have deep love (as deep as I know how for the God of heaven). Sometimes, I just don’t think it is strong enough because my love for Him can’t even begin to be at a level that His love for me is. I mess up all the time and yet…there He is. He walks with me, talks with me, and reprimands me as needed. He loves me. In fact, He loved me so much that He even took my place on a cross way before I was even born.
I have so many benefits in and through Him. I get the privilege of going to heaven when the time comes because He is my Lord and Savior and I won’t deny Him or deny that fact. Man can take my life but man can’t destroy my soul when I know who I belong to. I am so thankful for that.
So, then there is ingratitude in this world. People who just won’t believe in God, who won’t even try to get to know Him, and who will even go to great lengths to destroy what Christians believe. Why is it so important for people to hate God? Why do they resent us for loving Him? Why do they always go after Christians and Jews? Why? What are they afraid of anyway? Why is it easier for them to hate us instead of trying to find out what makes us love Him, what He has done for us, and what He offers us for all eternity.
Ingratitude began in the Garden of Eden. Why would I say that? Because Adam and Eve had everything including a great relationship with God…yet…they somehow, in their own minds, felt the need to to think that what God offered was not enough for them. They wanted more. Yes, they listened to the devil and they doubted the very one who created them. God had given them this perfect world and they wasted that for them and for all of us. Oh, we can’t really blame them now can we when we mess up all the time and doubt so many things in our own life? I don’t believe most of us honor God on the level we should. We sometimes take Him for granted don’t we? We expect to say a prayer and God will just wave a magic wand and do whatever we say. That is not how God works. Sometimes God answers like we want…but it would be Him knowing that was best for us, and other times God says wait, or no! God knows best, of course, so we can trust that whatever the answer might be to us…it is the right answer.
Well, as I said, this is Thanksgiving week. People are, possibly, a little more grateful than usual. (Some at least), while others might get together and the rifts pop out for whatever reason, and people talk about each other behind their backs. To some they have no one to spend the time with and they would give just about anything for someone to care enough to invite them over.
One day, long ago…I decided my life was not right and I needed God in it. After all…I was a mess and the world never offered me anything good…at least not like God does and did. The best thing I ever did was ask Jesus into my life to be my Savior. He said…yes! I am grateful.
There is a key to being thankful…and that is knowing who God is and what He has done for us. He put faith in my heart that can jump for joy when I think about Him and all He did for me and those I love. When I said yes to Jesus something great happened…I felt thankful. It was when I accepted Jesus into my heart that real thanksgiving came in my heart. Now, I can walk with Him and Him with me and I am grateful for that as well.
Some days I feel really rooted in Him, while other days I might have to work on it. Why? Because He is the source and I need the water to grow. He nourishes my soul every day. My part is to learn more and more so I get more and more water to grow even more. For this I am grateful.
Most times people just say they are grateful for family, health, what all they have, their parents, their friends and so on…and these things we truly are grateful for. But without my Lord and the spiritual blessings He showers me with…I am nothing. He has sent His Holy Spirit to the rescue and I am forever grateful.
God has said that those that love Him and made Jesus their savior will reap the reward of heaven. Amen to that one. I want that and God has offered it to me, and He has offered it to you. Only thing is if we want it…we have to accept that precious gift for it cost Him everything. I accept it Lord…and I am grateful.
This world is insane and we all know it, but even in the midst of the garbage going on out there God has still given me His peace. I accept that Lord…and I am grateful.
We all love someone or something but do we really ever love unconditionally? God does…and for that I am grateful.
I know that no matter where I am or what I am doing while upon this earth God is right here with me, and I am grateful. I don’t have to go somewhere else to meet with Him…I can just talk to Him 24/7 and He listens.
One day our time on this earth will be up. We either die or we are taken to heaven when the Lord comes. Either way…what a joy to know that we will get to be with Him forevermore and for that I am grateful.
I look at the word of God…that Book we call the Bible…and wow! That book is amazing with things for every circumstance in our life. People lived and died to give that to us. They went through things we pray we never go through…and we can go open that Bible and learn and tell others what it says and for that I am grateful. God’s word is truly amazing.
If we live a positive life in the Lord…we will be thankful for so much.
If we are aware that God loves us, and walks with us….we will be thankful for so much.
If we want God’s peace in our life then we will be thankful because God will give us His peace even in the midst of the worst storms of life. I am thankful.
When we think about others and who they are and how they have impacted our lives in some way we will be thankful. People have come and gone in our life over the years and we can cherish every one of our friends. Be thankful for them even if you don’t see them any more…they were there for a time and that friendship meant a lot. Be thankful.
My God is so generous. Not in money but in love, in time, in learning, in giving us people to love and care for. I am thankful.
Even if your own family should hate you, disown you, and make things in your life miserable know this: God loves you and never does that to you. I am thankful. Are you?
Are we people who are unselfish? We should be. We came into this world with nothing and we leave it the same way. Is there anything in your life that you can share with another? Has anyone shared anything with you when you were in need?
When we share Jesus with someone…no matter the way we do it…that is a good thing and we should be grateful we got a chance to share Jesus. Some might accept Jesus and others might say no and hate us for trying…but don’t give up. You might Plant that seed of Jesus, and someone else come along and water the plant…but it is God who brings the harvest. Let God be God and you do what you can. For this I am grateful.
I want to be more and more like Jesus. I don’t always do such a great job in this area, but I try. I want others to see Him in me. I want someone to say that they saw Jesus’ love through me.
I want to always have a servant heart. I don’t need others to serve me…I want them to know I care and that I would try to help them. When we give of ourself we have a servant’s heart.
Okay…………………………again, we are in the week where we have a day we call Thanksgiving. It is always on a Thursday. It is a day people get together and share a meal or two. Some people all get along, while other families fight and argue over just about everyone and everything. I don’t want that. I am thankful for this day to share it with someone…but shouldn’t every day be a day we are thankful? Of course it should. I love the Lord and the Lord loves me….He also loves you. Let us take this week, and every day to be thankful for God, for the loved ones in our life, and may we always share the love of the Lord with others. Are you grateful? I know I am!
Now, may the God of heaven, the creator…bless you, keep you, provide for you, guide you, give you His peace, show you the way, the truth, and may this Thanksgiving bless you and all you love greatly. I am so thankful for who I serve, who I love, and who I can share this with. God bless you!